System and Method for Dynamic Telephony Resource Allocation Between Premise and Hosted Facilities

ABSTRACT

A population of networked Application Gateway Centers or voice centers provides telephony resources. The telephony application for a call number is typically created by a user in XML (Extended Markup Language) with predefined telephony XML tags and deployed on a website. A voice center provides facility for retrieving the associated XML application from its website and processing the call accordingly. The individual voice centers are either operated at a hosted facility or at a customer&#39;s premise. Provisioning Management Servers help to allocate telephony resources among the voice centers. This is accomplished by suitably updating a voice center directory. In this way, the original capacity at a premise, predetermined by the hardware installed, can be adjusted up or down. If the premise is under capacity, it can be supplemented by that from a hosted facility. If the premise has surplus capacity, it can be reallocated for use by others outside the premise.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/195,298, filed on Aug. 20, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,355,394, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/957,151, filed Aug. 21, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to telecommunication and a networked computer telephony system including the Internet and the Public Switched Telephone System, and more particularly to user-configurable allocation of telephony resources between a hosted facility and a subscriber's premise.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Two major telecommunication networks have evolved worldwide. The first is a network of telephone systems in the form of the Public Switched Telephone System (PSTN). This network was initially designed to carry voice communication, but later also adapted to transport data. The second is a network of computer systems in the form of the Internet. The Internet has been designed to carry data but also increasingly being used to transport voice and multimedia information. Computers implementing telephony applications have been integrated into both of these telecommunication networks to provide enhanced communication services. For example on the PSTN, computer telephony integration has provided more functions and control to the POTS (Plain Old Telephone Services). On the Internet, computers are themselves terminal equipment for voice communication as well as serving as intelligent routers and controllers for a host of terminal equipment.

FIG. 1A illustrates a typical configuration of a conventional computer telephony server operating with a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and/or the Internet. Telephone service is traditionally carried by the PSTN. The PSTN 10 includes a network of interconnected local exchanges or switches 12. Around each exchange is provisioned a cluster of telephone lines to which telephones, modems, facsimile machines may be attached. Other private exchanges such as Private Brach Exchange PBX 20 may also be connected to the PSTN to form a public/private telephone network. Voice or data is carried from a source node to a destination node on the network by establishing a circuit path along the PSTN effected by appropriately switching the interconnecting exchanges. The point-to-point transmission is therefore circuit-switched, synchronous and using a dedicated channel of fixed bandwidth (64 kbs). With the introduction of digital networks, the exchanges have mostly been upgraded to handle digital, time-division multiplexed trunk traffic between the exchanges. External digital communication systems typically communicate with the PSTN by interfacing with an exchange such as 12. A common digital interface at the exchange is PRI (Primary Rate Interface) which is part of an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) and is usually provided by a T1 or E1 trunk line. Depending on the bandwidth requirement of the external system, the interface with an exchange may require from one to a multiple of PRI connections.

The Internet 30 is a worldwide interconnection of IP (Internet Protocol) networks, with interconnecting computers communicating with each other using TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). Some of the computers may also be interconnected by a private segment of the IP network with restricted access. On an IP network, data from a source node is cast into a number of packets that may individually be transported via multiple paths on the network to be reassembled at a destination node. The transmission on the IP network is packet-switched and asynchronous.

On an IP network, voice or multimedia information can also be digitized as data and transported over the network using the Internet Protocol (IP). In that case, it is generally referred to as VoIP or (Voice-over-IP). The VoIP protocol includes a number of standards. For example, one such standard is the H.323 standard promulgated by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) aims to ensure VoIP interoperability. It provides a specification for communication of multimedia such as voice, data and video between terminal equipment over IP networks. The terminal equipment communicating on the Internet includes personal computers with telephony capabilities 40, VoIP phones 42 that can connect to the Internet directly, and other networked telephony appliances.

In recent years, the World Wide Web (WWW) has become a universal platform for information dissemination on the Internet. Web applications 44 in general and web pages in particular are written in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) and are hosted by web servers 46 on the Internet. Each web page can be called up by its URL (Uniform Resource Locator), which can translate to an IP address on the Internet. These web pages may be requested and processed by a web browser running on a computer connected to the Internet. The web browser retrieves the web page under HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) and parses the HTML codes on the web page to execute it. Typically, the execution of HTML codes on a web page results in rendering it into a display page on the browser or client computer. In other instances, it may result in the execution of some backend functions on the client and/or server computers. One reason for the widespread acceptance of WWW is the relative ease web applications can be created and deployed, and the existence of standardized web browsers. HTML, with its tag-coding scheme, is now well known to everyone from the professional developer to the savvy end user. More recently, XML (Extensible Markup Language) has been introduced to extend HTML with enhanced features including customizable tags, which allow for more structural specification of data.

Telephony or Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) involves using a computer to control and manage a phone or a telephone system. When applied to a phone or a terminal equipment, CTI provides added features to an end user's phone. When applied to a telephone system whether as part of the PSTN or part of an IP telephony network system, CTI is usually implemented with a CT (Computer Telephony) server, such as CT server 50. Such a server executes telephony applications that can provide custom services such as interactive voice response, customer service or help desk for an organization. The CT server 50 can be configured to interface via a PSTN interface 52 with an exchange 12 to receive and process calls pertaining to a predefined set of telephone numbers on the PSTN. Similarly, it can also be configured to interface via an IP network interface 54 with the Internet to receive and process calls pertaining to a predefined set of telephone numbers or IP addresses. The CT server 50 is usually a computer operating under UNIX or Microsoft Windows NT and is running installed customized application software 56 for the various voice applications. The CT server provides a set of API 58 (Application Program Interface) which is a set of procedures, protocols and tools for building software applications. These APIs are generally proprietary and specific to the individual hardware manufacturers. Developing an application on an existing CT server would involve a highly specialized application developer undertaking a fairly complex task of coding the application in C++ or JAVA, programming language and employing and invoking the APIs specific to the hardware.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,844 discloses a distributed call center system in which a business call center running a custom interactive voice response application is essentially replicated in a number of local points of presence to reduce communication cost when connecting a local customer.

FIG. 1B illustrates a Point-Of-Presence call center management system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,844. The system is designed to minimize long distance toll call when a customer 70 is calling a business call center 60. The business call center typically runs a customized interactive voice response application 66 that implements a complete business solution to answer, service, queue and route inbound customer calls. The customer 70 at a local exchange 72 will in general be calling long distance to the business call center 60 that is local to a remote exchange 74. When the customer requests to speak to a live agent 68 at the business call center, his or her call is queued until an agent is available. Thus, during the long distance call, apart from interacting with the interactive voice responses, a substantial portion of time could be incurred while waiting to speak to an agent. To reduce the long distance connection time, the POP call center management system deploys a number of POP call centers 80 across the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 10 so that a customer's call at a local exchange 72 is intercepted at a local POP call center 80. Each POP call center essentially serves as a local-presence business call center except without the live agent. This is accomplished by having each POP call center executing the application such as 66′, 66″ locally. The local applications 66′, 66″ can be a full replica of the application 66 residing at the business call center or they can be partial ones with some of the resources such as voice prompts, menus, etc., being accessed dynamically from the application 66 as needed. The application 66 that resides at the business call center is accessible by the POP call centers via an interconnecting virtual private network 90. Optionally, HTML or XML may be used when the POP call center access conveniently packaged units of information or application from the business call center across the call center virtual private network 90. Thus, with the exception of speaking to a live agent, the customer's call is basically handled at a POP call center local to the customer. When the customer requests to speak to a live agent, a queue is set up at the business call center until an agent becomes available. Only then will the POP call center convert the customer's local call to a long distance call to the business call center. The call traffic for the interactive voice response portion is carried between the local exchange 72 and a POP call center 80. The call traffic between the customer 70 and a live agent 68 is carried via a long distance portion 76 of PSTN, or in other disclosed embodiments, over the call center virtual private network 90 or the Internet 30.

Prior computer telephony systems have infrastructures that do no allow easy development and deployment of telephony applications. The system illustrated in FIG. 1A requires the telephony application to be hosted in a call center type of telephony server and requires specialized knowledge of the telephony hardware to develop telephony applications. The same is true for the system illustrated in FIG. 1B with the variation that the call center is effectively replicated at various local points of presence on the global telephone network.

Even with the deployment of telephony systems in hosted facilities, customers and subscribers have a need to install their own telephony resource on premise for economic, control and security reasons. Issues with capacity and equipment failure can not be handled in an expedient manner with existing infrastructures.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide a computer telephony system that allows easy allocation of resources for execution of telephony applications and call processing between premise and hosted facilities.

It is another general object of the invention to provide an infrastructure in which users from premise or hosted facilities can quickly effect user-specified provisioning of telephony resources for controlling and managing telephone calls on the PSTN and the Internet.

It is another object of the invention to provide an infrastructure in which calls are routed to be handled by one of a plurality of resource centers based on user-specifiable routing rules.

It is another object of the invention to provide an infrastructure in which calls are routed to be handled by one of a plurality of resource centers based on criteria including the availability or capacity of the individual resource centers.

It is another object of the invention to allow a customer or subscriber of a telephony service to configure allocation of resources between premise and hosted facilities so that the hosted facilities act as an extension and backup of the telephony service provided at the premise.

It is another object of the invention to allow the resource centers to share call traffic not just between premise and hosted facilities, but also between multiple premise installations.

According to a general aspect of the invention, a network system and method allows sharing of resources between voice application gateway centers (“voice centers”) operated by a hosted facility and by a subscriber or customer on premise. In this way, a customer is able to configure the network system to have some calls processed on premise and some calls processed by the host facility. Similarly, a hosted facility is able to configure the network system to have some calls originally to be processed by the hosted facility to be processed by an available premise voice center. The invention is accomplished by a semi-real-time manipulation of a voice-center directory by which a destination voice center is selected to process a call.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided at least a provisioning management server with a user interface for a user to easily update lookup information in the voice-center directory. The lookup information enables a voice center to be selected as a function of the dialed number as well as routing rules. The user, either an operator from the hosted facility or a customer with premise equipment, is able to update the routing rules in the voice-center directory.

According to another aspect of the invention, the voice-center selection function of the voice-center directory also depends on the degree of availability or current capacity of individual voice centers. This is accomplished by having the individual voice centers updating the voice-center directory regarding their current capacity at predetermined time intervals.

According to another aspect of the invention, the network of telephony system includes a voice center receiving a routed call and retrieving a voice application associated with the dialed number and appropriate for that voice center. As the call can potentially be routed to any one of a number of voice centers, preferably there is a version of the voice application appropriate for each of the number of voice centers. In the preferred embodiment a local network address of the appropriate version of the voice application is cached in each voice center so that the voice center can use it to retrieve the voice application without having to perform a look up in an external directory.

By using a unified voice service providing platform for both premise and hosted deployments and the provision of near real-time user-configurable routing, premise customers can commit to install on premise a predefined amount of resources without over budgeting and yet be able to overflow and failover to hosted resource for unplanned call volume growth, peak call seasons, and disaster recovery plans.

According to another aspect of the invention, the hybrid resource allocation system described also offers the following business advantages. It allows a service provider to sell premise-based telephony software and hosted telephony services as a combined product/service, such that the customer's premise telephony software ports integrate seamlessly with the service provider's hosted telephony software ports. The customer will be allowed to use an online management console to configure and manage his premise-based software, making it possible for him to set parameters for how many calls he wants the premise system (as opposed to the hosted system) to take, under what circumstances to route calls through the hosted or premise system.

Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description of its preferred embodiments, which description should be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a typical configuration of a conventional computer telephony server operating with a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and/or the Internet.

FIG. 1B illustrates a Point-Of-Presence call center management system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,844.

FIG. 2 illustrates an Application Gateway Center (vAGC) for processing telephony applications on the Internet and the PSTN, according to a general scheme of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the setup for provisioning and processing voice applications according to a general embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A illustrates a preferred configuration of the inventive system with respect to the Internet and the PSTN.

FIG. 4B is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary call routing and processing in the preferred configuration shown in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative preferred configuration of the inventive system with respect to the Internet and the PSTN.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the components of the Application Gateway Center.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating schematically the components of the media conversion proxy server.

FIG. 8 is a detailed block diagram of the Application Gateway Server, which is the main component of the Application Gateway Center.

FIG. 9 is a system block diagram of a network traffic monitoring system operating in cooperation with the Distributed Application Telephony Network System of the present invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates a preferred network configuration including the PSTN and the Internet for practicing the invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the provisioning management server.

FIG. 12 illustrates the information contained in an entry in the voice-center directory.

FIG. 13 illustrates another example of a voice center updating its current capacity or availability information.

FIG. 14 illustrates an example of user configurable call routing between voice centers located on different sites.

FIG. 15 illustrates another example of user configurable call routing using the vAGC routing proxy instead of the access server.

FIG. 16 illustrates maintaining different versions of voice applications for a given dialed number.

FIG. 17 is a flow diagram illustration the scheme for allocation of voice service and resource in a hybrid environment of premise and hosted sites.

FIGS. 18A-18J illustrate embodiments of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As mentioned in an earlier section, the Internet is a worldwide network of IP networks communicating under TCP/IP. Specifically, voice and other multimedia information are transported on the Internet under the VoIP (Voice-over-IP) protocol, and under the H.323 standard that has been put forward for interoperability. Another implementation of VOIP protocol that is being coming into currency is SIP (“Session Initiation Protocol”.)

FIG. 2 shows a typical environment including the Internet and the PSTN in which the present invention is practiced. The Internet 30 acts as a VoIP network for communication between terminal equipments, such as personal computers (PC) 40 with telephony capabilities and/or dedicated VoIP phones 42 connectable directly to the Internet. Each terminal equipment on the Internet has an IP address that may also be associated with a predefined call number so that one terminal equipment may call another one by its IP address or equivalently by its call number. Also deployed on the Internet are HTML applications such as an application 44 hosted on a web server 46 that may also interact with other clients and servers 48 on the Internet.

On the other hand, the PSTN 10 is a network of exchanges. Each exchange is provisioned with a plurality of telephone lines or nodes having designated call numbers. Two PSTN nodes are connectable by switching the intervening exchanges to form a circuit.

The PSTN and the Internet are interconnected by means of access servers such as an access server 14. This enables communication between a PSTN node and an Internet node. A telephonic call transported between two network nodes comprises a signaling portion for setting up and tearing down the call and a media portion for carrying the voice or multimedia data. The access server 14 essentially converts both of these portions to an appropriate format across the interface between the two types of networks. On the PSTN side the digital interface is PRI and on the Internet side the interface is VoIP. A wireless or mobile telephone network (not shown) may similarly be considered as an extension of the PSTN. It is typically connected to the PSTN via a suitable interface implemented by a gateway.

FIG. 2 illustrates an Application Gateway Center (vAGC) for processing telephony applications on the Internet and the PSTN, according to a general scheme of the present invention. The Application Gateway Center (vAGC) 100 is a voice-processing center on the Internet 30 for intercepting and processing calls to anyone of a set of designated telephone call numbers. The calls may originate or terminate on any number of interconnected telecommunication networks including the Internet 30, the PSTN 10, and others (not shown) such as wireless networks. The vAGC 100 processes each call according to the telephony application (vAPP) associated with the called number. A plurality of these associated telephony applications, vAPPs, such as 110, . . . , 112, is deployed on the Internet in the form of XML applications. These XML applications, denoted more specifically as (vXML) applications, are coded in XML scripts that also contain custom telephony XML tags. The vXML scripts allow complete telephony applications to be coded.

The set of designated call numbers handled by the vAGC 100 are registered in a directory, such as DIR0. When a call to one of the designated call numbers is made from the PSTN, it is switched to the access server 12 and a lookup of the directory DIR0 allows the call to be routed to vAGC 100 for processing. Similarly, if the call originates from one of the terminal equipment on the Internet, a directory lookup of DIR0 provides the pointer for routing the call to the vAGC 100.

The plurality of telephony applications vAPP 110, . . . , 112, each associated with at least one designated call number, is accessible by the vAGC from the Internet. Each application is coded in vXML and is being hosted as a webpage on a web server on the Internet. A directory DIR1 provides the network address of the various applications. When the vAGC 100 received a call, it uses the call number (or dialed number DN) to look up DIR1 for the location/address (whether a URL or an IP address or some other location method) of the vAPP associated with the DN. The vAGC 100 retrieves the vXML webpage and executes the call according to the vXML scripts.

A similar networked computer telephony system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,922,411, the entire disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the setup for provisioning and processing voice applications according to a general embodiment of the present invention. Provisioning of a designated call number with its associated vAPP is described in steps 130, 132 and 134.

Step 130: For a given call number DN, create an associated telephony application, vAPP in vXML, and deploy it on the Internet with a specific IP address or URL.

Step 132: Provide any media, files and web applications that are requested or act on by vAPP.

Step 134: Update the directory DIR1 so that the address of vAPP can be obtained by querying with its associated call number DN.

Call processing by vAGC 100 is described in steps 140, 142, 144 and 146.

Step 140: vAGC receives a call with DN routed thereto.

Step 142: vAGC uses DN to look up DIR1 for the address of the webpage for vAPP.

Step 144: vAGC requests and retrieves the webpage containing vXML scripts for vAPP.

Step 146: vAGC processes the call according to the retrieved vXML scripts for vAPP.

FIG. 4A illustrates a preferred configuration of the inventive system with respect to the Internet and the PSTN. The configuration is similar to that shown in FIG. 2 except there is a plurality of Application Gateway Centers (vAGCs) 100, 100′, . . . , 100″ deployed on the Internet 30. This will provide redundancy, capacity and load-balancing for executing the plurality of telephony applications vAPP 110, . . . , 110″ being hosted by web servers 112, . . . , 112′ on the Internet. In order to provide local access to the Internet 30 from anywhere on the PSTN 10, individual Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) covering the PSTN are provided with an access server (AS). Each access server communicates on the one hand with an exchange of the LEC via the PRI interface and on the other hand with the Internet via the VoIP protocol such as H.323 or SIP. In this way, a call made at most nodes on the PSTN can be routed to the Internet without incurring a toll call outside an LEC domain.

FIG. 4B is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary call routing and processing in the preferred configuration shown in FIG. 4A. The numeral in parenthesis denotes the route taken. A new call originates from a telephone line 11 on a local exchange. Since the call is made to a dialed number (DN) registered as one of the numbers handled by the vAGC, it is routed to a vAGC such as vAGC 100 after a lookup from DIR0. The vAGC 100 initiates a new session for the call and looks up DIR1 for the net address of the telephony application vAPP 110 associated with the DN. The vAGC 100 retrieves vAPP 110 and proceeds to process the vXML scripts of vAPP 110. In one example, the vXML scripts dictate that the new call is to be effectively routed back to the PSTN to a telephone 13 on another local exchange. In another example, the vXML scripts dictate that the call is to be effectively routed to a VoIP phone 15 on the Internet. In practice, when connecting between two nodes, the vAGC creates separate sessions for the two nodes and then bridges or conferences them together. This general scheme allows conferencing between multiple parties. In yet another example, the vXML scripts allows the call to interact with other HTML applications or other backend databases to perform on-line transactions.

Thus, the present system allows very power yet simple telephony applications to be built and deployed on the Internet. The following are some examples of the vAPP telephony applications contemplated. A “Follow me, find me” application sequentially calls a series of telephone numbers as specified by a user until one of the numbers answers and then connects the call. Otherwise, it does something else such as takes a message or sends e-mail or sends the call to a voice center, etc. In another example, a Telephonic Polling application looks up from a database the telephone numbers of a population to be polled. It then calls the numbers in parallel, limited only by the maximum number of concurrent sessions supported, and plays a series of interactive voice prompts/messages in response to the called party's responses and records the result in a database, etc. In another example, a Help Desk application plays a series of interactive voice prompts/messages in response to the called party's responses and possibly connects the call to a live agent as one option, etc. In yet another example, a Stock or Bank Transactions application plays a series of interactive voice prompts/messages in response to the called party's responses and conducts appropriate transactions with a backend database or web application, etc.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative preferred configuration of the inventive system with respect to the Internet 30 and the PSTN 10. The arrangement is similar to that of FIG. 4A except at individual LECs, the Application Gateway Centers vAGC 100, 100′, . . . , 100″ are respectively co-located with the local access servers AS 14″, 14′, . . . , 14. This configuration provides higher quality-of-service (QoS) at the expense of repeating the vAGC at every LEC.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the components of the Application Gateway Center. The Application Gateway Center vAGC 100 may be considered to be a facility hosting a cluster of servers for the purpose of receiving calls and running the associated telephony applications, vAPPs, reliably and efficiently. In the preferred embodiment, the vAGC 100 comprises two IP network segments. An Internet network segment 130 connects the vAGC 100 to the Internet. A local IP network segment 140 allows direct communication between an application gateway server 200, a cache server 310 and a media conversion proxy server 320. The cache server 310 and the media conversion proxy server 320 are also connected directly to the Internet via the Internet network segment 130. To increase performance and reliability, multiple servers of each type are installed in the vAGC 100.

The application gateway server 200 exchanges data with the Internet indirectly through the cache server 310 and possibly the media conversion proxy server 320. As will be described in more detail later, upon receiving a call, the AGS 200 retrieves the associated vAPP from a website and proceeds to execute the vXML scripts of the vAPP. During the course of executing the vXML scripts, associated media and/or files may also be retrieved from various sites as part of the vAPP suite.

In the preferred embodiment, in order to increase performance, the vXML scripts, media and files that are retrieved into the vAGC are cached by the cache server 310. They are requested by the AGS through the cache server 310. If a cached copy of the requested data exists in the cache server, it is delivered directly to the AGS. If not, the cache server retrieves the data, caches it and delivers the data to the AGS to fulfill the request.

In the preferred embodiment, in order to simplify the design of the AGS and to improve the performance and scalability of it, the AGS is designed to handle only one native media format. For example, one suitable format for audio is G.711 or GSM. Media that come in different format are handed over to the media conversion proxy server 320, which coverts the media to the native format of the AGS 200.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating schematically the components of the media conversion proxy server. The media conversion proxy server comprises a text-to-speech module 322, a speech-to-text module 324, an audio conversion module 326 and a protocol conversion module 328. The modular design allows for other “plug-ins” as the need arises. The text-to-speech module 322 is used for converting text to synthesized speech. For example, this is useful for reading back e-mail messages. The speech-to-text module 324 is used for converting speech to text. This is useful in speech recognition applications involving responding to a user's voice response. The audio conversion module 326 converts between a supported set of audio formats, such as G.711, G.723, CD audio, MP3, . . . . The protocol conversion module 328 allows conversions between protocols such as IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).

Application Gateway Server

FIG. 8 is a detailed block diagram of the Application Gateway Server, which is the main component of the Application Gateway Center. The Application Gateway Server (AGS) 200 is responsible for accepting incoming calls, retrieving the vAPP associated with the dialed number and executing the vXML scripts of the vAPP. Each incoming call is treated as a separate session and the AGS is responsible for processing all user events and system actions that occur in multiple simultaneous sessions. The AGS is also responsible for all call routing in all sessions.

In the preferred embodiment, the AGS 200 is a set software modules running on a Windows NT or UNIX server. For example, the AGS is implemented as a Windows NT machine on a card, and multiple cards are installed on a caged backplane to form a high scalable system.

The AGS 200 comprises four main software modules, a session manager 210, an I/O abstraction layer 220, a computer telephony (CT) abstraction layer 230, and a telephony scripting language parser 240. The telephony scripting language parser 240 further comprises a telephony XML or vXML parser 242 and a generic XML parser 244. In addition, a streaming interface 250 provides a direct streaming path for media data between the I/O abstraction layer 220 and the CT abstraction layer. Each of these modules is designed to be a separate DLL (Dynamically Linked Library) and perform a specific task. In the preferred embodiment, the AGS is a console only application with no user interface for any of these modules. Several of these modules incorporate commercial, third party software components in performing their tasks. These components will be discussed along with the appropriate modules.

The session manager 210 is the centerpiece of the AGS 200. It is responsible for creating new sessions, deleting terminated sessions, routing all actions and events to the appropriate modules and maintaining modularity between each session. It responds to I/O and vXML goto requests, and other additional events. In one embodiment, it employs commercially available software libraries containing thread and string classes from PWLib, a product of Equivalence Pty Ltd, Erina, New South Wales, Australia.

The session manager interfaces to the external of the AGS via the I/O abstraction layer 220 and the CT abstraction layer 230. It accesses the I/O and CT layers as a set of classes and member functions that are individual DLLs. The Session Manager 210 runs as a single-threaded processor of actions and event.

FIG. 8 also illustrates the manner in which the modules of the AGS must communicate with each other. The session manager communicates to both the I/O abstraction layer and the CT abstraction layer through traditional DLL entry points with C/C++ parameter passing. The I/O abstraction layer and the CT abstraction layer communicate through a streaming interface. The session manager and the telephony scripting language parser communicate through DLL entry points using microXML. The session manager 210 behaves like a virtual machine with its own set of “OpCodes”. MicroXML is the parsed vXML scripts interpreted into these OpCodes, and will be described in more detail later.

A session begins with the reception of an asynchronous event from the CT abstraction module 230 signaling an incoming call. The Session Manager then creates a session for this call by accessing a database (e.g. DIR1 of FIG. 4A) keyed on the session's DNS and ANI information, which returns an initial vXML script. The telephony scripting language parser 240 is a separate DLL invoked through short microXML event scripts. It returns a microXML action script. A cycle of actions and events begins with the transmission of this script to the telephony scripting language parser 240 for processing. The telephony scripting language parser 240 responds to this event by returning a simple vXML script of its own containing I/O and CT action requests collected from the parsing of the script. The Session Manager now processes these action requests and then returns to parsing until the end of the session.

Each session is assigned a unique session identification, SID (session ID). For example, in the Microsoft Win32 platform, the SID is conveniently implemented by the creation of 128 bit globally unique Ids (GUIDs).

In the preferred embodiment, the session manager 210 is accessed or invoked via a number of interface points of its DLL as described in TABLE 1.

TABLE 1 Session Manager's Interface Points SESSION MANAGER Interface Points DESCRIPTION VXESessionManager( ) VXESessionManager constructor function. It creates and starts up an instance of an AGS Session Manager. ~VXESessionManager( ) VXESessionManager destructor function. It shuts down and deletes an instance of an AGS Session Manager. AddEvent(VXEEvent&) Member function to submit an event to a Session Manager's event queue. It receives a record of the incoming event and outputs TRUE if submission is successful, FALSE otherwise. GetSessions( ) Provides a count of active sessions.

The I/O abstraction layer 220 performs all input and output operations for the AGS 200. Essentially, it renders transparent to the internal of the AGS the variety of I/O formats and protocols that might be encounter externally. To the session manager 210, most HTTP, FTP, File, and memory-mapped I/O requests are reduced to four commands: open, close, read, and write. This allows access to a stream from any of these sources with the same procedure calls once the stream is open. In one embodiment, it incorporates available commercial software libraries, such as Winlnet from Microsoft Corporation, Seattle, Wash., U.S.A and PWLib from Equivalence Pty Ltd. Winlnet is a windows-specific DLL that allows the I/O abstraction layer to communicate to outside sources using HTTP and FTP. PWLib also used by the session manager 210 contains strings and threads classes.

In the preferred embodiment, the I/O abstraction layer 220 is accessed or invoked via a number of interface points of its DLL as described in TABLE 2. A single thread per active stream is created by instantiating a VXEIOStream when accessed by the session manager 210. If the stream is FTP or HTTP-based, then the user will need to provide the appropriate login data, submission method, and CGI variables. Next, the user calls the Open method and then uses the Read and Write methods to operate upon the stream until closing it with the Close method. At this point, this instance of the VXEIOStream is available for use on another stream source or it can be deleted.

TABLE 2 I/O Abstraction Layer's Interface Points I/O ABSTRACTION LAYER Interface Points DESCRIPTION VXEIOStream( ) VXEIOStream constructor function. It creates a new instance of a VXEIOStream. ~VXEIOStream( ) VXEIOStream destructor function. It shuts down stream and releases associated memory open/openAsynchronous(char* Member function to open an I/O stream either name, StreamType streamtype, synchronously or asynchronously. It has inputs: OpenMode mode) pathname, type of stream (HTTP, FTP, File, or Memory), and opening mode (Read/Write); and output: TRUE/FALSE for success/failure in synchronous mode, corresponding event asynchronously. close( ) Member function to close an open stream. It outputs: TRUE/FALSE for success/failure. read/readAsynchronous(void* Member function to read from an open stream either buffer, int count) synchronously or asynchronously. It has inputs: Pointer to buffer into which to write data, byte count to read from stream. It has outputs: Number of bytes read synchronously, corresponding event asynchronously write/writeAsynchronous(void* Member function to write to an open stream either buffer, int count) synchronously or asynchronously. It has inputs: Pointer to buffer from which to write data, byte count to write to stream. It has outputs: Number of bytes written synchronously, corresponding event asynchronously. GetPos( ) Member function to return position within a stream. SetSubmitMethod(SubmitMethod Member function to set CGI submission method for method) an HTTP stream before opening it. It has inputs: Submission method, either GET or PUT. AddCGIVariable (VXEVariable& Member function to add a CGI variable for v) submission to an HTTP stream before opening it. It has inputs: Variable name/value pair contained in a VXEVariable class. It has outputs: TRUE/FALSE for success/failure. SetFTPLogin(PString& name, Member function to set FTP login information for an Pstring& passwd) FTP stream before opening it. It has inputs: FTP user name and password.

The computer telephony (CT) abstraction layer 230 is a thin abstraction layer that makes it possible for the AGS 200 to communicate with several computer telephony devices and/or protocols. In one direction, the CT abstraction layer receives requests for computer telephony actions from the session manager 210 and translates those requests to a CT module. In the other direction the CT abstraction layer receives user events directed to that CT module and relates them back to the session manager. In the preferred embodiment, the CT modules include a H.232 stack for handling VoIP signals, a SIP (Session Interface Protocol), a MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol) as well as other CT modules such as Dialogic CT modules. Since several CT modules can be placed below the CT abstraction layer and the CT abstraction will talk to all of the CT modules, the modular design allows the AGS to communicate with a new computer telephony device or protocol simply with the addition of a new CT module.

The CT abstraction layer 230 will preferably make use of PWLib's platform-independent thread class. The CT Abstraction layer is instantiated by the Session Manager 210. It then seeks out a vXML configuration file that contains information on the number and type of telephony boards in its system. The member functions represent generic functionality that should be supportable across a wide variety of telephony hardware. The motivation for this abstraction layer is to make the AGS 200 both platform and protocol independent.

In the preferred embodiment, the Session Manager 210, XML Parser 240, and CT Abstraction layer 230 cooperate via the following protocol. First, the telephony scripting language parser 240 locates a vXML element which requires a telephony task. Next, the telephony scripting language parser sends this task to the Session Manager in a microXML action string. The Session Manager then parses the microXML action string and determines the appropriate call to the CT abstraction layer along with its associated parameters. The Session Manager now calls the CT abstraction layer asynchronously and the CT abstraction layer returns an event signaling the completion of the CT task and the Session Manager resumes parsing.

In the preferred embodiment, the CT abstraction layer 230 is accessed or invoked via a number of interface points of its DLL as described in TABLE 3.

TABLE 3 CT Abstraction Layer's Interface Points CT ABSTRACTION LAYER Interface Points DESCRIPTION VXECTAbstraction(VXESessionManager*) VXECTAbstraction constructor function. It has input: Associated Session Manager. It creates a new instance of a CT Abstraction. ~VXECTAbstraction( ) VXECTAbstraction destructor function. It shuts down an instance of a Voxeo CT Abstraction and releases associated memory GetVersion(PString& version) Member function to determine version. It has inputs: Reference to a string into which to copy version information. It has outputs: Version information copied into parameter 1 string GetProtocol(PString& protocol) Member function to determine active telephony protocol. It has inputs: Reference to a string into which to copy protocol information. It has outputs: Protocol information copied into parameter 1 string. Answer(VXESession* pSession) Member function to answer an incoming call. It has inputs: Session associated with incoming call. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating success/failure sent to Session Manager. Hangup(VXESession* pSession) Member function to hang up on an active call. It has inputs: Session associated with active call. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating success/failure sent to Session Manager. call(VXESession* pSession, Member function to make an outgoing call. It has VXECall*) inputs: Associated session, number to call. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating success/failure sent to Session Manager. dial(VXESession* pSession, Member function to dial a string of digits. It has Pstring* number) inputs: Associated session, digits to dial. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating success/failure sent to Session Manager. Wink(VXESession* pSession) Member function to perform wink function. It has inputs: Associated session. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating success/failure sent to Session Manager to an HTTP stream before opening it. Void conference(VXESession* Member function to conference two active pSession1, VXESession* sessions/calls. It has inputs: Two sessions to pSession2) conference together. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating success/failure sent to Session Manager. Void Member function to flush digit buffer. It has flushDigitBuffer(VXESession* inputs: Associated session. It has outputs: pSession) Asynchronous event indicating success/failure sent to Session Manager. Void getDigits(VXESession* Member function to read digits from digit buffer. pSession, int maxdigits, Pstring& It has inputs: Associated session, maximum digits termdigits, Pstring& outdigits) to read, termination digits string, string for digits read. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating success/failure and digits read sent to Session Manager. PlayStream(VXESession* Member function to play audio from an open pSession,VXEIOStream&, const stream. It has inputs: Associated session, audio Pstring& termdigits) stream, and termination digits. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating completion/termination sent to Session Manager. PlayDate(VXESession* pSession, Member function to play current date. It has const PString& date, const PString& inputs: Associated session, string containing termdigits) desired date, termination digits string. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating completion/termination sent to Session Manager. PlayTime(VXESession* pSession, Member function to play current time. It has const PString& time, const inputs: Associated session, string containing PString& termdigits) desired time, termination digits string. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating completion/termination sent to Session Manager. PlayMoney(VXESession* pSession, Member function to play a dollar value. It has const float value, const PString& inputs: Associated session, value to play, termdigits) termination digits string. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating completion/termination sent to Session Manager. PlayCharacters(VXESession* Member function to play a string of characters. It pSession, const PString& string, has inputs: Associated session, string of characters const Pstring& termdigits) to play, termination digits. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating completion/termination sent to Session Manager. PlayString(VXESession* pSession, Member function to pronounce a text message. It const PString& string, const has inputs: Associated session, string to Pstring& termdigits) pronounce, termination digits. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating completion/termination sent to Session Manager. PlayNumber(VXESession* Member function to play a number. It has inputs: pSession, const PString& number, Associated session, string containing number to const Pstring&termdigits) pronounce, termination digits. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating completion/termination sent to Session Manager. PlayOrdinal(VXESession* Member function to play an ordinal (1st, 2nd, 2rd, pSession, const PString& ordinal, etc.). It has inputs: Associated session, ordinal, const Pstring& termdigits) termination digits. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating completion/termination sent to Session Manager. RecordStream(VXESession* Member function record to an open pSession, XEIOStream& stream) VXEIOStream. It has inputs: Associated session, target stream. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating success/failure sent to Session Manager. SendFAX(VXESession* pSession, Member function to send a FAX. It has inputs: VXEIOStream& file) Associated session, VXEIOStream containing data to FAX. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating success/failure sent to Session Manager. ReceiveFAX(VXESession* Member function to receive a FAX. It has inputs: pSession, VXEIOStream &file) Associated session, VXEIOStream to which to receive FAX. It has outputs: Asynchronous event indicating success/failure sent to Session Manager.

The streaming interface 222 provides a direct streaming transfer between the I/O abstraction layer 220 and the CT abstraction layer 230 when media data, such as audio or other multimedia is involved. For example, the streaming interface facilitates the AGS to play audio from URL's and to record audio to URL's in a streaming manner. In the preferred embodiment, the interface is generic and passes the burden of buffer management to the CT module in use. This allows specific CT modules to buffer information as appropriate for the corresponding telephony hardware or protocol. The streaming interface is implemented through the readAsynchronous and writeAsynchronous interface points in the I/O abstraction layer.

The telephony scripting language parser 240 is responsible for parsing the vXML scripts handed to it by the session manger 210. It in turn informs the session manager of the described actions coded in the vXML scripts. The telephony scripting language parser is modular and can accommodate additional parsers such as that for voiceXML and parsers for other telephony scripting language that may arise. In the present preferred embodiment, it comprises the vXML parser 242 and the generic XML parser 244.

The generic XML parser 244 parses the vXML scripts, which are essentially XML scripts with embedded custom telephony tags, and puts them in a format that the vXML parser 242 can expediently act on. In the preferred embodiment, the generic XML parser 244 conveniently employs CueXML components available from CueSoft, Inc, Brighton, Colo., U.S.A. These components enable parsing of vXML documents into an object model, DOM (Document Object Model) listing the parsed objects in a hierarchical tree structure. This allows the vXML parser 242, which in the preferred embodiment is a DLL written in Delphi 5.0, to “walk” through the tree of objects and interpret them into microXML codes that can be understood by the session manager 210.

The vXML parser 242 behaves as follows: when called it will examine the incoming microXML and determine if there is a buffer of new vXML to parse, if such a buffer exists then the parser uses the generic XML parser 244 to construct a new object model for this buffer, the session object model is set to that model and the session state is cleared. The vXML parser 242 begins parsing from the session state in the session object model (an empty state implies the beginning of a document). As the parse traverses the document model the state is updated and events are generated. If these events are internal to the processor they are handled (i.e. assigns update the session variables, blocks may cause looping to occur), if the events are not internal then they are buffered for return to the session manager. When an event needs to be reported to the session manager the event buffer is processed so that variables are replaced with their values, wildcards are properly expanded, etc. This negates the need for any other module to maintain information about session variables.

The vXML parser 242 is required to maintain state per session so that each invocation of the vXML parser will continue where the previous invocation within the same session ended. The maintenance of state includes preserving the DOM for the current instance of vXML, the node in the DOM that the parser is currently examining, and any variables that are associated with the session.

In the preferred embodiment, the vXML parser 242 is accessed or invoked via a number of interface points of its DLL as described in TABLE 4.

TABLE 4 vXML Parser Interface Points VXML PARSER Interface Points DESCRIPTION Create Creates an instance of the vXML parser. It has output: integer result code (negative numbers denote errors). Destroy Destroys an instance of the vXML parser. It has output: integer result code (negative numbers denote errors). Parse Performs the main tasks of the vXML parser (i.e. determines actions from vXML, and maintains state. It inputs: microXML string containing the sessionID. The microXML may also contain a buffer of vXML (described above) and a pointer to instance data. It outputs: microXML string containing the action(s) generated by this invocation and possibly modification of the instance data. Kill It has input: pointer to instance data. It has output: integer result code (negative numbers denote errors).

As mentioned earlier, microXML is a subset of simple vXML used for communication between the session manager 210 and the telephony scripting language parser 240. MicroXML is the native codes of the virtual machine of the session manager 210. In one direction, the vXML parser 242 communicates with the session manger 210 in a synchronous manner using microXML. In another other direction, user events may also be reported to the vXML parser via microXML. If a user event is reported the parser will find the appropriate event handler by first looking locally for a valid handler. If a handler is not found there then the parent node in the document model is examined for a valid handler. The search continues in this manner until either a handler is found or there is no parent to examine. If a handler is found then the parser sets the state to the handler and begins parsing as described above. If a handler is not found then an error is returned via microXML.

In the preferred embodiment, MicroXML is composed of a limited number of tags, these tags do not have any attributes, and CDATA sections are not supported. Table 5 shows examples of microXML tags:

TABLE 5 microXML Tags MicroXML TAG NAME MicroXML TAG NAME ACT Action EVL Event Value BUF Buffer LBL Label DAT Instance Data TYP Type ERR Error P00 Parameter0 EVT Event P00 Parameter99 ETP Event Type SID Session ID

vXML is XML with additional custom tags for telephony applications. TABLE 6A-6D lists example tags useful for creating telephony applications. A user or developer need only code his or her telephony application in these vXML tags and deploy the resulting scripts as a webpage on the Internet for the vAGS 200 to access.

TABLE 6A vXML General Tags vXML GENERAL TAG Examples DESCRIPTION <assign var=“ttt” Assigns value “123” to variable named “ttt.   value=“123”/> <clear var=“ttt”/> Clears variable named “ttt”. <clearDigits /> Clears the digit buffer. <getDigits This element reads input digits from the   var=“pager_msg” phone and places them into a variable   maxdigits=“9” defined within the element itself. In the   termdigits=“#*” example, the user would have 30 seconds to   includetermdigit=“TRUE|FALSE” enter up to 9 digits on her phone, pausing   cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE” no more than 5 seconds between digits, and   maxtime=“30s” ending the digit input with either the # key   ptime=“5s”/> or * key. This element is designed for gathering PIN codes, Pager numbers, and anything else that involves multiple digits coming from the user. <block The block element is used to logically   label=“here” group other elements together, as well as   repeat=“?” providing a looping structure so that vXML   cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE” > elements can be repeated a specific number Events of times (e.g., a menu that plays an audio Elements prompt four times before timing out.) </block> <goto This element will leap to another bank of  value=“http://w.v.n/next.voxeo#block” vXML code, whether it be in the same file   submit=“all|*|x,y,z” or another file.   method=“put|post” /> <return/> One example of Return is to implement <goto> calls as a call stack. <Return> would return from a <goto> call. <run This runs/launches a vXML script at a URL  value=“http://w.v.n/next.voxeo|#block” or URI in a new session, then continues to   submit=“all|*|x,y,z” process this session   method=“put|post”   newSessionID=“newID”/> <sendevent value=“msg_call_answered” This tag allows for one session to send a   sessionID=“sss”/> message to another session.

TABLE 6B vXML Call Control Tags vXML CALL CONTROL TAG Examples DESCRIPTION <answer/> This answers the call. <hangup/> This informs the server to hangup the call. <call value=“pstn:14079757500” This element allows for outbound   maxtime=“15s”/> calls to be created from within a vXML script. <conference sessions=”sessionID1, This element allows for multiple lines sessionID2, sessionID3”/> in separate sessions to be conferenced together.

TABLE 6C vXML Media Tags VXML MEDIA TAG Examples DESCRIPTION <play... /> <Playaudio> can be used to play an <playnumber format=“say|read” audio file and wait for a terminating value=“12345” digit to be pressed. The element termdigits=“*#” must be located within a larger cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE”/> <block> structure, which is used to <playmoney format=“???” control the number of repetitions the value=“1.25” audio is played before “timing out.” termdigits=“*#” Like the earlier example of cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE”/> <getDigits>, <playaudio> can be <playdate format=“ddmmyyhhss” implemented with event handlers to value=“1012990732” properly recognize that the termdigits=“*#” <playaudio> command was halted cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE”/> because a terminating digit was <playchars format=“?” pressed by the user. value=“abcdefgh” termdigits=“*#” cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE”/> <playtone format=“?” value=“2000hz+1000hz″\” termdigits=“*#” cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE”/> <playaudio format=“audio/msgsm” value=“http://www.blahblah.com/ sample.vox” termdigits=“*#” cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE”/> <recordaudio format=“audio/msgsm” Like its counterpart <playaudio>, value=“ftp://www.v.n/msg.wav” this element must be contained termdigits=“*#” within a viable <block> structure cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE” and utilize an event handler such maxtime=“30s” that one generated by a user action ptime=“5s”/> to control it. Its intended use is to leave voicemail messages, record greetings, etc. In the example above, the user would be allowed to speak into the phone to record audio for up to 30 seconds (with no more than a 5 second pause anywhere within), and could end the recording segment by pressing either the * or # key. The new audio file would then be saved at www.v.n/msg.wav in the audio/msgsm format. The clearDigits attribute, again, is used to ensure a “fresh” start during the audio recording, in case one of the terminating digits was pressed prior to initiating the recording. <receivefax format=“audio/tiff-f” Receives a fax.   value=“ftp://w.v.n/msg.tif” maxtime=“5m” ptime=“30s” maxpages=“30”/> <sendfax format= “audio/tiff-f” Sends a fax. value=“http://w.v.n/msg.tif” maxtime=“5m” ptime=“30s” maxpages=“30”/> <text format=“?” This is used to tell the application termdigits=“#” gateway server to use a text-to- cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE”> speech engine for reading the Text to read enclosed text to the caller. </text> <vcommand name=“id” value=“url|vocab- This is used to tell the application grammar-string”> gateway server to use a speech-to- text engine for voice recognition.

TABLE 6D vXML High Level Tags VXML HIGH LEVEL TAG Examples DESCRIPTION <menu   label=“main_menu” Menu is an element that is descended from     repeat=“3” a <block> element and a <playAudio>     format=“audio/msgsm” element.. In this embodiment, an     value=“http://w.v.n/msg.wav” <ontermdigit> event handler is used, to     cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE” handle the event when a terminating digit     termdigits=“567890*#” has been pressed. It is designed to accept a     maxtime=“15s” > single digit input and then check for a  Events matching <onkey> event handler. This   <onkey value=“1”> </onkey> element is to allow easy-to-use menus,   <onkey value=“2”> </onkey> where one key press will move you through   <onmaxtime value=“1|2|max”> an application. In the example above (and            </onmaxtime> below), the audio file will be played 3 times   <onhangup>     </onhangup> before “timing out” and moving on in the </menu> vXML code. <inputdigits label=“input_pin” <InputDigits> is an element that is     repeat=“3” descended from a <block> element and a     var=“pager_msg” <getDigits> element. It combines the     format=“audio/msgsm” attributes of those two elements into a     value=“http://w.v.n.msg.wav” single element. Like the <menu> element     termdigits=“#*” above, <inputDigits> simplifies the process     cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE” of making a function to gather digits from    includetermdigit=“TRUE|FALSE” the user. It will play a message (contained     maxdigits=“4” in the “value” attribute) and store the     maxtime=“15s” gathered information in the “var” attribute.     ptime=“5s”> In the example, the user has 15 seconds to   Events enter up to 4 digits (possibly for a PIN     <oninputvalue value=“123”> code), with a pause of no more than 5    </oninputvalue> seconds between keystrokes. Either the #    <oninputlength len=“3”> or * key will end the input process, and the    </oninputlength> audio message/prompt will loop 3 times <ontermdigit value=“#”> before dropping out of the element (i.e.,    </ontermdigit> timing out), and proceeding on to the rest of <onmaxdigits> the vXML code.    </onmaxdigits> <onmaxtime value=“1|2|max”>    </onmaxtime> <onptime> </onptime> <onhangup> </onhangup> </inputdigits> <menu   label=“main_menu” Menu is an element that is descended from    repeat=“3” a <block> element and a <playAudio>    format=“audio/msgsm” element.. In this embodiment, an    value=“http://w.v.n/msg.wav” <ontermdigit> event handler is used, to    cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE” handle the event when a terminating digit    termdigits=“567890*#” has been pressed. It is designed to accept a    maxtime=“15s” > single digit input and then check for a  Events matching <onkey> event handler. This   <onkey value=“1”> </onkey> element is to allow easy-to-use menus,   <onkey value=“2”> </onkey> where one key press will move you through   <onmaxtime value=“1|2|max”> an application. In the example above (and            </onmaxtime> below), the audio file will be played 3 times   <onhangup>     </onhangup> before “timing out” and moving on in the </menu> vXML code. <inputdigits label=“input_pin” <InputDigits> is an element that is    repeat=“3” descended from a <block> element and a    var=“pager_msg” <getDigits> element. It combines the    format=“audio/msgsm” attributes of those two elements into a    value=“http://w.v.n.msg.wav” single element. Like the <menu> element    termdigits=“#*” above, <inputDigits> simplifies the process    cleardigits=“TRUE|FALSE” of making a function to gather digits from     includetermdigit=“TRUE|FALSE” the user. It will play a message (contained    maxdigits=“4” in the “value” attribute) and store the    maxtime=“15s” gathered information in the “var” attribute.    ptime=“5s”> In the example, the user has 15 seconds to   Events enter up to 4 digits (possibly for a PIN     <oninputvalue value=“123”> code), with a pause of no more than 5    </oninputvalue> seconds between keystrokes. Either the #    <oninputlength len=“3”> or * key will end the input process, and the    </oninputlength> audio message/prompt will loop 3 times <ontermdigit value=“#”> before dropping out of the element (i.e.,    </ontermdigit> timing out), and proceeding on to the rest of <onmaxdigits> the vXML code.    </onmaxdigits> <onmaxtime value=“1|2|max”>    </onmaxtime> <onptime> </onptime> <onhangup> </onhangup> </inputdigits>

EXAMPLES

The following are examples of microXML communication between the session manager 210 and the vXML parser 242.

MicroXML sent from the session manager to the vXML parser Request the parsing of a new file <ACT>  <SID>24601</SID>  <BUF>   <?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“UTF-8”?>   <voxeoxml>   <assign var=“rootdir” value=“http://www.voxeo.com/”/>   <block label=“1” repeat=“3”>   <playaudio format=“audio/default” value =“$rootdir;greeting.vox”/>   </block>   </voxeoxml>  </BUF> </ACT> Request the continued parsing of the same file <ACT>  <SID>24601</SID> </ACT> Report a basic user event to the vXML parser <EVT>  <SID>24601</SID>  <ETP>termdigit</ETP>  <EVL>#</EVL> </EVT> Report a user event with parameter(s) to the vXML parser <EVT>  <SID>24601</SID>  <ETP>termdigit</ETP>  <EVL>#</EVL>  <P00>assign=varname=value</P00> </EVT>

MicroXML sent from the vXML parser to the session manager Action from parser <ACT> <TYP>playaudio</TYP> <PR1>format=audio/default,value=http://www.voxeo.com/greeting.vox </PR1> </ACT>

The following is an example of a vXML file:

Example vXML file <?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“UTF-8”?> <voxeoxml>  <!-- This is a test file to exercise the voxeoXML parser -->   <assign var=“audiodir” value=“http://www.voxeo.com/audio”/>  <block label=“testlooping” repeat =“3”>  <assign var=“foo” value=“$foo;bar”/>  <playaudio   format=“audio/msgsm”   value=“$audiodir;/$foo;.vox”   termdigits=“*”   cleardigits=“true”  />  </block>  <hangup/> </voxeoxml>

The example vXML file results in the following corresponding microXML being generated by the vXML parser and sent to the session manager:

The resulting microXML Separate calls to parse are delimited by ‘----------------------------‘ ---------------------------- <ACT>  <SID>24601</SID>  <TYP>cleardigits</TYP> </ACT> <ACT>  <SID>24601</SID>  <TYP>playaudio</TYP> <PR1>format=audio/msgsm,value=http://www.voxeo.com/audio/ bar.vox,termdigits=*</PR1> </ACT> ---------------------------- <ACT>  <SID>24601</SID>  <TYP>cleardigits</TYP>  </ACT>  <ACT>  <SID>24601</SID>  <TYP>playaudio</TYP> <PR1>format=audio/msgsm,value=http://www.voxeo.com/audio/ barbar.vox,termdigits=*</PR1> </ACT> ---------------------------- <ACT>  <SID>24601</SID>  <TYP>cleardigits</TYP> </ACT> <ACT>  <SID>24601</SID>  <TYP>playaudio</TYP> <PR1>format=audio/msgsm,value=http://www.voxeo.com/audio/ barbarbar.vox,termdigits=*</PR1> </ACT> ---------------------------- <ACT>  <SID>24601</SID>  <TYP>hangup</TYP>  <PR1></PR1> </ACT> ---------------------------- <ACT>  <SID>24601</SID>  <TYP>EOF</TYP>  <PR1></PR1> </ACT>

FIG. 9 is a system block diagram of a network traffic monitoring system operating in cooperation with the Distributed Application Telephony Network System of the present invention. The invention contemplates a larger number of enterprises and users will deploy telephony applications on the Internet 30 in the form of vXML applications such as vAPP 1, vAPP 2, . . . , vAPP m. These applications are served by a number of web servers 46 on the Internet. When a call associated with one of the these vAPP enters the Internet, it must be directed to one of a pluarality of application gateway centers, such as vAGC 1, vAGC 2, . . . , vAGC n. In the preferred embodiment, in order to provide the best quality-of-service, the call is preferably directed to a vAGC having the best access to the associated vAPP. The invention includes providing monitoring of the accessibility of the individual vAPPs relative to the plurality of vAGCs. This will enable the call to be directed to the vAGC having the best access to that associated vAPP.

Each vAGC site is provided with a traffic monitor 400 that periodically pings the pluarality of vAPP sites and detects the return signals. The response time of each vAPP site to any given vAGC is collected by a network monitoring server 410. Since each vAPP is associated with a dialed number (DN), the network monitoring server computes a listing of DNs versus vAGCs sorted in order of fastest response time. This information is used to update the DIR0 directory (see FIG. 4A) dynamically. In this way, when a call to a given DN is to be directed to an AGC, a DIR0 lookup will point to the vAGC with the faster access to the vAPP site associated with the given DN.

Dynamic Telephony Resource Allocation Between Premise and Hosted Facilities

FIG. 10 illustrates a preferred network configuration including the PSTN and the Internet for practicing the invention. The network is similar to that shown in FIG. 4A or FIG. 5 where the PSTN 10 is a network of telephones connectable by switched circuits and the Internet 30 is a network of IP devices and resources communicating by IP packets. A set of voice applications scripted in vXML 110-1 to 110-m is hosted by corresponding web servers 112-1 to 112-m and is accessible on the Internet.

A plurality of voice application gateway centers (“vAGC”) 100 (also referred to as “voice centers”) is deployed on the Internet. As described in connection with FIG. 2 and FIG. 4A, each vAGC 100 essentially servers as a “browser” for one of the vXML voice applications and processes a received call by executing the vXML script. These vAGCs or voice centers can be divided into at least two categories depending on whether they are maintained and operated in hosted facilities 500 or on a subscriber's premise 510. For example, vAGCs 100-1 to 100-n in one or more hosted facilities 500 are installed and operated by a telephony service provider. A customer or subscriber may purchase or lease a vAGC such as vAGC P1 and operate the voice center on premise 1. Similarly, another customer may have vAGC P2 located on premise 2. In general there could be multiple service providers operating different hosted facilities and multiple customers with vAGCs located at different premises.

As described in connection with FIG. 4A, the various vAGCs are set up to received a call and process it according to a vXML voice application associated with the call's dialed number DN. One or more access servers 14 route calls between the PSTN and the Internet. When a call is directed to the Internet, the access server 14 looks up a destination vAGC in a voice-center directory, DIR 0, and routes the call there. Once the vAGC has received the call, it looks up DIR 1 for the URL of the vXML application associated with the dialed number. The vAGC then retrieves and executes the vXML script to process the call.

In the preferred embodiment, the access server 14 routes the call to a vAGC routing proxy 580 which then takes over the job of the access server and routes the call to a destination vAGC after a DIR 0 lookup. As different LECs may set up access servers with varying amount of features and capabilities, it preferable for voice centers to rely on a set of vACG routing proxy 580 with guaranteed specification and capabilities.

According to a general aspect of the invention, a network system and method allows sharing of resources between voice application gateway centers (“voice centers”) operated by a hosted facility and by a subscriber or customer on premise. In this way, a customer is able to configure the network system to have some calls processed on premise and some calls processed by the host facility. Similarly, a hosted facility is able to configure the network system to have some calls originally to be processed by the hosted facility to be processed by an available premise voice center. The invention is accomplished by a semi-real-time manipulation of a voice-center directory by which a destination voice center is selected to process a call.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided at least a provisioning management server with a user interface for a user to easily update lookup information in the voice-center directory. The lookup information enables a voice center to be selected as a function of the dialed number as well as routing rules. The user, either an operator from the hosted facility or a customer with premise equipment, is able to update the routing rules in the voice-center directory.

FIG. 10 also shows one or more provisioning management server 600 maintained by the hosted facility 500. The provisioning management server 600 has a user interface and enables a user to update directory entries in the voice-center directory, DIR 0 550 as well as the voice-application directory, DIR 1 570. Preferably, the user interface is a standard one such as a web interface that can be easily accessed by users 610-H from the hosted facility 500 as well as users 610-P1, . . . , 610-Pm on premise.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the provisioning management server. The server 600 comprises a manager 610 for managing the operations, an event monitor 620, a user interface 630, a directory replicator 650, a file storage 640 and an I/O and network interface 660. The file storage 640 stores replica 642 of provisioning data from DIR 0 550 and a set of predefined provisioning and routing rules 644. It also stores replica 646 of addresses of voice applications from DIR 1 570 and customer accounts 648.

In operation, the manager 610 manages user access and responds to the event monitor 620 to initiate various operations. Through the user interface a user can add modify or delete data in the replica 642 and 646. In particular, the data pertaining to provisioning and routing rules may be selected from the predefined set 644. The directory replicator replicates relevant portion of the data between the replica 642 and DIR 0 550 as well as between the replica 646 and DIR 1 570 so that changes made to the replica in the provisioning management server are reflected in DIR 0 550 and DIR 1 570.

Through the provisioning management server 600, a user including a subscriber can quickly make changes to DIR 0 550 to implement close to real-time re-allocation of resources and services between premise and hosted facilities.

FIG. 12 illustrates the information contained in an entry in the voice-center directory. The allocation of resources among the vAGC or voice-centers of the hosted facility and on a customer's premise is configurable by modifying the directory entries in the voice-center directory, DIR 0 550. Essentially, a lookup of DIR 0 yields a prioritized list of vAGCs or voice-centers for processing the current call. The order of listed voice centers is a function of the dialed number DN, the routing rules associated with the DN and the capacity or availability of the voice centers. The routing rules is able to implement weighting and priority rules for routing calls between vAGC's that are either hosted or at customer premise sites. For example, referring to FIG. 10, one such routing rules requires 50% of the call traffic to be routed to vAGC 1 on hosted site and the other 50% to vAGC P1 on the customer premise site. If both vAGC 1 and vAGC P1 are unavailable, the call will be routed to vAGC 3 on the hosted site.

The voice-center lookup directory DIR 0 550 essentially functions as a directory for looking up call-processing resources analogous to a domain name server (“DNS”) for locating the IP address of an Internet resource given an URL address. In the preferred embodiment, DIR 0 is an ENUM directory. ENUM is the name of a protocol that resolves fully qualified telephone numbers to fully qualified domain name addresses using a DNS-based architecture. It is the name of a chartered working group of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) chartered to develop protocols that map telephone numbers to resources found on the Internet using the Domain Name System.

According to another aspect of the invention, the voice-center selection function of the voice-center directory also depends on the degree of availability or current capacity of individual voice centers. This is accomplished by having the individual voice centers updating the voice-center directory regarding their current capacity at predetermined time intervals.

Referring to FIG. 10, the vAGCs 100 or voice centers are configured to update DIR 0 as to their availability or their current capacity at predetermined time intervals. In the preferred embodiment, the availability information from individual voice centers is first sent to the vAGC routing proxy 560 to be cached there before being forwarded to update DIR 0. This is advantageous since the vAGC routing proxy can also use this information readily without having to perform a lookup at DIR 0. The lookup will return a prioritized list of vAGC's. The access server 14 or the routing proxy 560 will then pick the vAGC from the top of the list and attempt to route the call there.

FIG. 13 illustrates another example of a voice center updating its current capacity or availability information. In this example, vAGC 1 sends information about it availability every 30 seconds to both the voice-center directory DIR 0 550 and to the vAGC routing proxy 560.

FIG. 14 illustrates an example of user configurable call routing between voice centers located on different sites. When a call comes in from a carrier access server to the IP network, (1) DIR 0 550 is consulted to locate the list of prioritized vAGC's that can service the call. (2) Based on the prioritized list, the call is directed to vAGC P1 on a customer's premise site. If for some reason vAGC P1 failed (e.g., had no more capacity or was offline due to network problems) the call will be routed to the next vAGC down the list. (3) In this case, it is re-routed to vAGC 1 in a hosted site.

FIG. 15 illustrates another example of user configurable call routing using the vAGC routing proxy instead of the access server. (1) The call is passed to a vAGC routing proxy 560. (2) The vAGC routing proxy performs a DIR 0 lookup to obtain a prioritized list of vAGC's that can service the call. (3) Based on the prioritized list, the call is directed to vAGC P1 on a customer's premise site. If for some reason vAGC P1 failed (e.g., had no more capacity or was offline due to network problems) the call will be re-routed by the routing proxy 560 to the next vAGC down the list. (4) In this case, it is routed to vAGC 1 in a hosted site.

According to another aspect of the invention, the network of telephony system includes a voice center receiving a routed call and retrieving a voice application associated with the dialed number and appropriate for that voice center. As the call can potentially be routed to any one of a number of voice centers, preferably there is a version of the voice application appropriate for each of the number of voice centers. In the preferred embodiment a local network address of the appropriate version of the voice application is cache in each voice center so that the voice center can use it to retrieve the voice application without having to perform a look up in an external directory.

FIG. 16 illustrates maintaining different versions of voice applications for a given dialed number. A voice application designed for a customer site may no longer be appropriate if the call is routed to a hosted site. For example, the interactive voice response (“IVR”) may involve a human attendant on a customer site but not so in a hosted site. Another example is that different sites may have different firewall settings and even the same version may need to be hosted at different URLs for accessibility. In order to provide seamless routing when moving from a voice center on the customer's premise to a hosted site, different versions of voice application for a given dialed number are maintained so that when a call is routed to a voice center of a certain location or environment, an appropriate version is used to process the call. Thus, if the call is routed to vAGC in a hosted site, the vAGC will lookup the host version of the vAPP's URL 574 on DIR 1 570. On the other hand, if the call is routed to vAGC P1 on a customer's premise, vAGC P1 will retrieve the URL 574′ of the version of the vAPP appropriate for that site.

In a preferred embodiment, the premise vAGC P1 maintains a local replica of the premise version 574″ of DIR 1 data by a replication agent 552. When the DIR 1 data or even subsets of Dir1 such as customer-specific subsets is maintained on all premise nodes, then a premise-based vAGC can operate even when the link to the hosted DIR 1 is severed.

FIG. 17 is a flow diagram illustration the scheme for allocation of voice service and resource in a hybrid environment of premise and hosted sites.

STEP 710: In a networked computer telephony system operating under the Internet Protocol, providing a first set of application gateway centers in a hosted facility and a predetermined second set of application gateway centers at a subscriber's premise for receiving and processing telephone calls.

STEP 720: Providing a directory for routing a telephone call identified by a telephone number to an application gateway center from either the first set or the second set, the directory designating an application gateway center as a function of the telephone number, predefined routing rules and operating capacities of individual application gateway centers.

STEP 730: Updating the directory at predefined time intervals on the operating capacities of the individual application gateway centers.

STEP 740: Providing a user interface for a user to update user-specified routing rules in the directory.

STEP 742-759, any one of them is optional (see FIGS. 18A-18J.)

STEP 760: Routing the telephone call according to the directory.

FIGS. 18A-18J illustrate embodiments of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

FIG. 18A illustrates one embodiment of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

STEP 742: Wherein the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include telephone calls to be preferentially processed by an application gateway center on premise from the second set and to be processed by a hosted application gateway center from the first set in the event of the operating capacity of the second set fall below a predetermined threshold.

FIG. 18B illustrates another embodiment of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

STEP 744: Wherein the user is a host operator, and routing rules configurable by the host operator include telephone calls to be processed by an application gateway center from the second set in the event of the operating capacity of the first set falls below a predetermined threshold.

FIG. 18C illustrates another embodiment of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

STEP 746: Wherein the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include telephone calls each having one of a predefined dialed numbers must be processed by an application gateway center on premise from the second set for security reasons.

FIG. 18D illustrates another embodiment of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

STEP 748: Wherein the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include telephone calls to be preferentially processed by a hosted application gateway center from the first set when the telephone calls are associated with a first predefined set of telephone numbers.

FIG. 18E illustrates another embodiment of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

STEP 750: Wherein routing rules configurable by the user include routing a predetermined percentage of call traffic to application gateway centers on premise from the second set relative those from the first set.

FIG. 18F illustrates another embodiment of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

STEP 752: Wherein routing rules configurable by the user include basing on geographical location of the call to be processed.

FIG. 18G illustrates another embodiment of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

STEP 754: Wherein routing rules configurable by the user include basing on time schedule.

FIG. 18H illustrates another embodiment of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

STEP 756: Wherein routing rules configurable by the user include basing on the carrier the call originates from.

FIG. 18I illustrates another embodiment of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

STEP 758: Wherein routing rules configurable by the user include avoidance of predefined network routes.

FIG. 18J illustrates another embodiment of the routing rules of STEP 740 in FIG. 17.

STEP 759: Wherein the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include routing from one premise to another.

According to another aspect of the invention, the hybrid resource allocation system described also offers the following business advantages. It allows a service provider to sell premise-based telephony software and hosted telephony services as a combined product/service, such that the customer's premise telephony software ports integrate seamlessly with the service provider's hosted telephony software ports. The customer will be allowed to use an online management console to configure and manage his premise-based software, making it possible for him to set parameters for how many calls he wants the premise system (as opposed to the hosted system) to take, under what circumstances to route calls through the hosted or premise system.

Conventional systems requires a customer buying telephony software to be forced to predict how many ports (concurrent calls) he will need and then to hope that he guesses correctly. If he guesses too many, than he has built out too much infrastructure too fast and is thus wasting money on premature capital expenditures. If he guesses too few, then his installation is too small for his traffic and his users get busy signals or catastrophic failures.

With the hybrid scheme of providing telephony software, the customer does not have to guess what his traffic will be. He can buy 100 ports of software, and simply use the hosted network to take all calls after the first 100 concurrent calls. Or he can buy 20 ports and take only the calls about a certain subject on premise, with the rest going through the hosted service. Or he can take calls on-premise during business hours, and run them through hosted at night. Whatever the customer wants to do, he now has the flexibility of the premise and hybrid models.

Very few businesses sell both premise telephony software and a hosted telephony service. And none of them offers the kind of integrated service that is contemplated here. At most, the prior art entails simple fail-over to a hosted solution. The current hybrid scheme entails seamlessly integrating the premise installation so that there is virtually no logical distinction between the premise and hosted installations.

While the embodiments of this invention that have been described are the preferred implementations, those skilled in the art will understand that variations thereof may also be possible. Therefore, the invention is entitled to protection within the full scope of the appended claims. 

1. In a networked computer telephony system, a method of processing telephone calls for a subscriber, comprising: providing a first set of application gateway centers of a hosted facility and a predetermined second set of application gateway centers at a premise of the subscriber for processing telephone calls; providing a directory for routing a telephone call to an application gateway center among either the first set or the second set, the directory designating an application gateway center as a function of the telephone number, predefined routing rules and operating capacities of individual application gateway centers; providing a user interface for a user to update user-specified routing rules in the directory; and routing the telephone call to an application gateway center according to the directory.
 2. The method as in claim 1, wherein: the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include telephone calls to be preferentially processed by an application gateway center on premise from the second set and to be processed by a hosted application gateway center among the first set in the event of the operating capacity of the second set fall below a predetermined threshold.
 3. The method as in claim 1, wherein: the user is a host operator, and routing rules configurable by the host operator include telephone calls to be processed by an application gateway center among the second set in the event of the operating capacity of the first set falls below a predetermined threshold.
 4. The method as in claim 1, wherein: the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include telephone calls with predefined dialed numbers that must be processed by an application gateway center on premise among the second set for security reasons.
 5. The method as in claim 1, wherein: the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include telephone calls to be preferentially processed by a hosted application gateway center among the first set when the telephone calls are associated with a first predefined set of telephone numbers.
 6. The method as in claim 1, wherein: routing rules configurable by the user include routing a predetermined percentage of call traffic to application gateway centers on premise among the second set.
 7. The method as in claim 1, wherein: routing rules configurable by the user include basing on geographical location of the call to be processed.
 8. The method as in claim 1, wherein: routing rules configurable by the user include basing on time schedule.
 9. The method as in claim 1, wherein: routing rules configurable by the user include basing on the carrier the call originates from.
 10. The method as in claim 1, wherein: routing rules configurable by the user include avoidance of predefined network routes.
 11. The method as in claim 1, wherein: the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include routing from one premise to another premise of the subscriber.
 12. The method as in claim 1, further including: updating the directory on the operating capacities of the individual application gateway centers.
 13. The method as in claim 1, further including: updating the directory in response to an user input.
 14. The method as in claim 1, wherein: the telephone call is identified by a telephone number.
 15. The method as in claim 1, further comprising: providing a plurality of Extended Markup Language (XML) documents being hosted by web servers, each of the XML documents constituting a telephony application associated with a specified call number and including telephony-specific XML tags instructing how a telephone call to the specified call number is to be processed; providing a telephony application directory for locating the telephony application for the specified call number; and wherein: the application gateway center the specified call is routed to retrieves the associated telephony application according to the telephony application directory.
 16. The method as in claim 15, wherein: the telephony application for the specified call number exists in multiple versions; and the version retrieved by a application gateway center depends on the location of the retrieving application gateway center.
 17. A networked computer telephony system, comprising: a plurality of Extended Markup Language (XML) documents being hosted by web servers on the Internet, each of said XML documents constituting a telephony application associated with a specified call number and including telephony-specific XML tags instructing how a telephone call to the specified call number is to be processed; a plurality of application gateway centers distributed over a plurality of locations, each application gateway center having one or more computer server with predetermined capacity to receive and process the XML documents associated with specified call numbers; a directory of application gateway centers, the directory designating an application gateway center as a function of the call number, predefined routing rules and operating capacities of individual application gateway centers; and a provisioning management server responsive to the plurality of application gateway centers for updating said directory.
 18. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: said provisioning management server further comprises: a user interface for a user to update user-specified routing rules in the directory.
 19. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include telephone calls to be preferentially processed by an application gateway center on premise from the second set and to be processed by a hosted application gateway center among the first set in the event of the operating capacity of the second set fall below a predetermined threshold.
 20. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: the user is a host operator, and routing rules configurable by the host operator include telephone calls to be processed by an application gateway center among the second set in the event of the operating capacity of the first set falls below a predetermined threshold.
 21. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include telephone calls with predefined dialed numbers that must be processed by an application gateway center on premise among the second set for security reasons.
 22. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include telephone calls to be preferentially processed by a hosted application gateway center among the first set when the telephone calls are associated with a first predefined set of telephone numbers.
 23. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: routing rules configurable by the user include routing a predetermined percentage of call traffic to application gateway centers on premise among the second set.
 24. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: routing rules configurable by the user include routing a predetermined percentage of call traffic to application gateway centers on premise among the second set.
 25. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: routing rules configurable by the user include basing on geographical location of the call to be processed.
 26. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: routing rules configurable by the user include basing on time schedule.
 27. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: routing rules configurable by the user include basing on the carrier the call originates from.
 28. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: routing rules configurable by the user include avoidance of predefined network routes.
 29. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: the user is a subscriber, and routing rules configurable by the subscriber include routing from one premise to another premise of the subscriber.
 30. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: the telephony application for the specified call number exists in multiple versions; and the version retrieved by a application gateway center depends on the location of the retrieving application gateway center.
 31. A networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: said provisioning management server updates said directory at predefined time intervals on the operating capacities of the individual application gateway centers.
 32. The networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: said provisioning management server updates said directory in response to an user input.
 33. The networked computer telephony system as in claim 17, wherein: the telephone call is identified by a telephone number. 